(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and more specifically to a hybrid electric vehicle which includes and which selectively activates or xe2x80x9cstartsxe2x80x9d an internal combustion engine in a certain predetermined manner, effective to allow the generated torque to be efficiently communicated to the wheels of the HEV while allowing for a smooth overall operation of the vehicle and concomitantly reducing the amount of hydrocarbon exhaust emissions produced by the vehicle.
(2) Background of the Invention
The need to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions in automobiles and other vehicles predominately powered by Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs) is well known. Vehicles powered by electric motors attempt to address these needs. Another alternative solution is to combine a smaller ICE with electric motors into one vehicle. Such vehicles combine the advantages of an ICE type vehicle and an electric vehicle and are typically called Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs). See generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,970 (Severinsky).
The HEV is manifested in a variety of configurations. Many HEV patents disclose systems where an operator is required to select between electric and internal combustion operation. In other configurations, the electric motor drives one set of wheels and the ICE drives a different set.
Other, more useful, configurations have developed. For example, a Series Hybrid Electric Vehicle (SHEV) configuration is a vehicle with an engine (most typically an ICE) connected to an electric motor called a generator. The generator, in turn, provides electricity to a battery and to another motor, called a traction motor. In the SHEV, the traction motor is the sole source of wheel torque. There is no mechanical connection between the engine and the drive wheels. A Parallel Hybrid Electrical Vehicle (PHEV) configuration has an engine (most typically an ICE) and an electric motor that work together in varying degrees to provide the necessary wheel torque to drive the vehicle. Additionally, in the PHEV configuration, the motor can be used as a generator to charge the battery from the power produced by the ICE.
A Parallel/Series Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PSHEV) has characteristics of both PHEV and SHEV configurations and is sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9cpowersplitxe2x80x9d configuration. In one of several types of PSHEV configurations, the ICE is mechanically coupled to two electric motors in a planetary gear-set transaxle. A first electric motor, the generator, is connected to a sun gear. The ICE is connected to a carrier. A second electric motor, a traction motor, is connected to a ring (output) gear via additional gearing in a transaxle. Torque from the ICE can power the generator to charge the battery. The generator can also contribute to the necessary wheel (output shaft) torque if the system has a one-way clutch. The traction motor is used to contribute wheel torque and to recover braking energy to charge the battery. In this configuration, the generator can selectively provide a continuous variable transmission (CVT) effect. Further, the HEV presents an opportunity to better control engine idle speed over conventional vehicles by using the generator to control engine speed.
The desirability of combining an ICE with electric motors is clear. There is great potential for reducing vehicle fuel consumption and emissions with no appreciable loss of vehicle performance or drive-ability. The HEV allows the use of smaller engines, regenerative braking, electric boost, and even operating the vehicle with the engine shutdown.
It is a first non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having some or all of the improvements which are delineated above. It is a second non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a method for operating a HEV which allows for some or all of the previously delineated improvements to be achieved.
It is a second non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a method for operating a HEV which allows for some or all of the previously delineated improvements to be achieved.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a hybrid electric vehicle is provided having an internal combustion engine which produces hydrocarbon exhaust emissions and which is activated only after a portion of the internal combustion engine is rotated to a certain speed, thereby reducing the amount of the hydrocarbon emissions produced by the internal combustion engine.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a hybrid electric vehicle of the type having a selectively activated internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes the steps of rotating the internal combustion engine to a certain speed; and causing combustion to occur within the internal combustion engine only after the certain speed has been attained.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.